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Summary

The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo.  This position is located in the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), created to detect and prevent fraud, waste, and abuse; to promote economy and efficiency; and to keep the head of the Smithsonian and Congress fully and currently informed of problems at the Smithsonian. 

More than one selection may be made from this announcement.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/30/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 30, 2026
Location
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—Ad-hoc
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$121,785 - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Promotion potential
13
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Full-Time, Permanent
Appointment type
Permanent - Federal
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Critical-Sensitive (CS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Announcement number
26R-BD-314158-MPA-OIG
Control number
876757000

Duties

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The Criminal Investigator is responsible for conducting investigations into violations of federal laws, regulations, and SI policies to safeguard the integrity of SI programs and operations.
In this position you will: 
  • Investigate violations or noncompliance with legislative or administrative requirements relating to Smithsonian programs.
  • Investigate alleged violations of other provisions of federal, state, and local statutes affecting labor laws, Smithsonian Institution (S.I.) grants, contracts, and contractors and their employees, criminal statutes relating to falsification of contractor’s payroll, collusive bidding practices, and deviations from or failure to comply with contract specifications.
  • Review and respond to inquiries into alleged violations of S.I. Standards of Conduct by Smithsonian employees.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Pass Pre-employment Background Investigation
  • May need to complete a Probationary Period
  • Maintain a Bank Account for Direct Deposit/Electronic Transfer
  • Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered with Selective Service.

Conditions of Employment

Qualification requirements, including one year time-in-grade at the next lower grade level for promotion candidates, must be met within 30 days of the job announcement closing date. See the 'Required Documents' section for additional information.

Please note the following:

The selectee must meet the requirements to be sworn in as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal. The position is eligible for 6(c) law enforcement retirement.

Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP) is not authorized.

For information on qualification requirements, see Qualification Standards Handbook for General Schedule Positions viewable on OPM Website.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

Medical Requirements: The duties of these positions require moderate to arduous physical exertion and/or duties of a hazardous nature including walking and standing, use of firearms, and exposure to inclement weather. The following medical requirements apply to all applicants: manual dexterity with comparatively free motion of finger, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, and knee joints; sufficiently good vision in each eye, with or without correction; hearing loss, as measured by an audiometer, must not exceed 35 decibels at 1000, 2000, and 3000 Hz levels. Since the duties of these positions are exacting and responsible, and involve activities under trying conditions, applicants must possess emotional and mental stability. Any physical condition that would cause the applicant to be a hazard to himself/herself, or others is disqualifying. Agencies may establish additional, job-related physical or medical requirements provided that the specific position(s) involves the arduous or hazardous duties to which the requirements relate.

Additional Requirements:

  • Applicant must have successfully completed the Criminal Investigator Training Program (CITP) at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Academy (FLETC), or equivalent training at a federal law enforcement training academy. Please provide proof of successful completion of such law enforcement training with your application.
  • Applicant must be able to qualify semi-annually with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and meet the requirements to be sworn in as a Special Deputy U.S. Marshal.
  • Applicant must possess a valid motor vehicle operator’s permit from their state of residence to conduct field investigations 
  • This position is subject to drug testing.

MAXIMUM ENTRY AGE LIMIT: The maximum entry-age for this position shall not exceed age 37, unless you have sufficient prior Federal civilian law enforcement [or firefighter, if applicable] experience or you are a preference eligible veteran. If you are a preference eligible veteran, you may be eligible for this position after your 37th birthday. You must supply a copy of your Defense Department Form 214 (DD-214) along with Standard Form 15 (if applicable) and any associated documentation in accordance with the instructions in this vacancy announcement. Failure to provide this documentation with your application will result in the loss of eligibility to receive a waiver of the maximum entry age requirement.

In addition to the requirements above: 

Experience: You qualify for this position if you have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal Service.  For this position, specialized experience is defined as conducting sensitive and complex criminal investigations involving fraud, financial crimes, and integrity-related offenses.

Your resume must be no more than two (2) pages and should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with the responsibilities and specialized experience required for this position. Do not copy language directly from the vacancy announcement, as you will be deemed ineligible for consideration. Instead, provide detailed, descriptive information about your actual experience.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Part-time and/or unpaid experience related to this position will be considered to determine the total number of years and months of experience. Be sure to note the number of paid or unpaid hours worked each week.

Additional information

This position is not included in the bargaining unit.

Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive(s) may be authorized for this position.  However, approval for incentives are contingent upon various availability. If authorized, certain incentives will require the incumbent to sign a service agreement to remain in the Federal government for a certain time period.

Note: This statement does not imply nor guarantee an incentive will be offered and paid.

Selections may be made for vacancies across the Smithsonian Institution (SI). By applying to this position, you agree to allow your application and other personal information to be shared with one or more SI hiring officials for employment consideration for same/similar positions within the location(s) identified in this announcement.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be evaluated first for the basic qualifications described above.  The applications that meet the basic qualifications will be evaluated further against the following criteria:

  1. Expert knowledge of and skill in applying, pertinent statutes, regulations, policies, and guidelines, including the Code of Federal Regulations (Title 18).
  2. Knowledge of functions and jurisdictions of other federal, state, and local agencies, and the application, and interpretation of their specific laws and regulations.
  3. Advanced knowledge of federal laws governing fraud, corruption, and misuse of government programs.
  4. Exceptional knowledge of professional investigative standards and techniques and expert knowledge of laws, precedents, and regulations governing investigations.

BASIS OF RATING:  Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the occupational questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive is based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of this position. If, after the Human Resources Specialist reviews your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that the score you have received is not a true reflection of your qualifications and/or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect the information you provided that support your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Your resume should provide detailed information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA):  If you are applying for a VEOA appointment, you must be a veteran and must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. ("Active Service" under this law means active duty in a uniformed service and includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, full-time National Guard duty, and attendance, while in the active service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the Secretary concerned.) A veteran who is released under honorable conditions shortly before completing a 3-year tour is also eligible.

Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities:  The following links contain information on the eligibility requirements to be considered under a noncompetitive appointing authority:

Important Note:

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the occupational questionnaire or other assessment tool for consistency. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume, you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Your resume should provide sufficient information regarding how your education and experience relate to this position, including the major duties and qualifications criteria listed.


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Smithsonian Institution

Join the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums, 14 education and research centers, and the National Zoo, in "Inspiring Generations through Knowledge and Discovery."

Agency contact information

Beatrice Dabney
Phone
202-633-6336
TDD
202-633-6409
Email
DabneyB@si.edu
Address
SMITHSONIAN
Office of Human Resources
600 Maryland Avenue
Suite 7001W, , MRC 517
Washington, District of Columbia 20024
United States

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